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(No Model.) 2 Sheets$heet 1. W. PHILLIPS.

VELOGIPEDB. No. 350,080. Patented Sept. 28, 1886.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

W. PHILLIPS.

VELOGIPEDE.

Ea tented Sept. 28, 1886.

FIG.4-.

STATES Users in \VALTIG t PHILLIPS, OF COVENTRY,

VELOCIPEDE.

QPECIFISATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 350,080, datedSeptember 28, 1886.

Application filed March 2, 1886.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, \VALTIGR PnILLIrs, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, resid ing at- Coventry, in the county of \Varwick, England,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to'Velocipedes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to those types of velocipedes known as tricycles,which have two driving-wheels and one steering-wheel, and has for itsobject mounting the steeringwheel in such a manner that a large wheelmay be used without decreasing the rigidity of the machine, that theusual vertical fork may be dispensed with, and that the wheel willalways preserve a central position with respect to the frame of themachine, so that the tricycle will always travel in a straight lineunless it is operated upon by the rider for the purpose of altering thecourse of the machine. 7

To this end it consists in mounting the steering-wheel on an axle, thelength of which is about equal to half the diameter of the wheel. Thisaxle is mounted in a fork, the prongs of which are preferably made ofcircular tubes. At the end of the fork where the two prongs join isfixed a pin standing at right angles to the prongs of the fork. This pinfits into a vertical socket on the front end of the frame of themachine. so that the fork carrying the steering-wheel lies horizontally.In thelower face of the socket on the frame of the machine are cuttwoV-shaped recesses at opposite points to one another. 011 the base of thevertical pin, or on the face of the fork on which the pin is fixed, aretwo V-shaped projections which fit into the two V-shaped recesses on theface of the socket. This arrangement forms a cam which serves to keepthe steering-wheel always in a direct line with the center of themachine.

A strong spiral spring is placed round the vertical pin between the topof the socket and a nut on the end of the pin, which serves to keep thehorizontal fork up to the socket,and yet allows it to move slightly in avertical di rection, to enable the cam to release itself when the wheelis turned for the purpose of steerin Immediately behind the socket onthe frame Serial No. 193,754. (Noinodeh) of the machine'is a longtubular socket, which carries a vertical steering-bar provided at itsupper end with a transverse handle-bar and at its bottom end, under theframe of the ma chinc,with a short lever, in the face of which is aslot. This lever is fixed to the steeringbar at right angles to thetransverse handle bar, and lies immediately under the central 1 tube ofthe frame of the machine in the rear of the socket carrying the verticalsteeringbar. Immediately under this lever is anothcr lever fixed to orforming part of the horizontal fork carrying the steering-wheel. In theend of this lever is a pin, which engages with the slot in the leverfixed to the steering-bar. 3y this means the main transverse handle-baris connected to the horizontal fork carrying the steeringwheel, whichturns on the vertical pin as a center in the rear of its periphery.

Although the fork carrying the steeringwheel is referred to as being ahorizontal fork, it is designated so in contradistinction to a verticalfork. Its position is not a truly horizontal one, but it is slopeddownward from the center of the wheel to the center-pin on which itturns. By this means the vertical steering-bar and the center-pin areraked slightly backward, which brings the transverse handle-bar into amore convenient position for the rider, and causes the steeringwheel tocant over in the direction in which it is turned, which facilitatesturning sharp curves at a high speed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tricyclein which the steering-wheel is mounted according to my invention. Fig. 2is a plan thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation on a larger scale, showingthe dc tails of the construction of the steering-gear; and Fig. -t is aplan thereof.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to these figures, A designates the central tube formingtheframe of the tricycle; 9 5

B, the main driving-axle thereof, carrying the driving-wheels O G; I),the saddle, mounted on a suitable spring; E, the pedal crank-axle,carrying suitable cranks, F F, and pedals G G.

The pedal crank-axle is connected to the main ICO driving-axle by achain running over chain wheels on the respective axles, in the usualmanner.

H designates the steering-whee], running on the axle I, which is mountedin the horizontal fork J K, the vertical pin fixedto the end of thehorizontal fork J and bearing in the socket L, forming part of the frameA of the machine.

designates the cam which keeps the steering -wheel running in a straightline, Z the spring which allows the cam to work, and k the adjusting-nut on the pin K. The said cam and spring are preferably appliedto the pin K, as the vertical motion of the said pin is notobjectionable, and the action of the cam is not interfered with by thedownward pressure of the hands in steering, as would be the case if thecam were applied to the steering-bar.

M designates the vertical steering-bar,n1ounted in the socket N, fixedto the end of the frame A of the machine.

O designates the transverse handle-bar at the top of the verticalsteering-bar M, and P the slotted lever fixed to the lower end; Q, thelever fixed to the end of the horizontal fork .T, and R the pin which itcarries, engaging with the slotin the lever P. j

S designates the mud-guard, which I prefer to carry by a bracket boltedonto the lever Q or the fork J. I sometimes make the pin It cone-shapedor to carry a coned roller, and make the slot in the lever P ofacorresponding shape, so that any slackness due to wear may be readilytaken up. By varying the lengths of the levers P and Q the anglesthrough which the transverse handle-bar and the horizontal fork carryingthe steering-wheel respectively move may be increased or diminished togear the steering up or down, as may be found convenient or desirable.

The other parts of the tricycle, of which no description is given, offerno special features, and they may be constructed and arranged in anyapproved manner.

Iclaim asmy invention- 1. In a velocipede, the combination of asteering-wheel fork provided with apivot-pin projecting from it at rightangles, and having the cam j on the fork at its base, a central frameprovided with a socket, in which the said pivot-pin is journaled, andhaving recesses engaging with the said cam, a spring for pressing thesaid recesses and cam together, a nut for adjusting the pressure of thespring, and a steering-bar j ournaled in the said central frame foroperating the steeringfork, substantially as set forth.

2. In a velocipede, the combination of a steering-wheel fork providedwith a pivot-pin projecting from it at right angles, and having the camj on the fork at the base of the said pin, a lever secured to the fork011 the opposite side of the pivot-pin from the steeringwheel, thecentral frame provided with a socket, in which the said pivot-pin isjournaled, and having recesses engaging with the said cam, a spring forpressing the said recesses onto the cam and keeping the steering-wheelin line with the central frame, a steering-bar journaled in the centralframe, and a lever secured to the steering-bar and connected to thelever for operating the steering-wheel, substantially as set forth.

3. In? a vlocipede, the combination of a steering-wheel fork providedwith a pivot-pin projecting from it at right angles, and having the camj on the fork at the base of the said pin, a lever provided with the pinR, and secured to the fork on the opposite side of the pivot-pin fromthe steering-wheel, the central frame provided with a socket, in whichthe said pivot-pin is journaled, and having recesses engaging with thesaid cam, a spring for pressing the said recesses onto the cam andkeeping the steering-wheel in line with the central frame, a nut forregulating the pressureof the spring, a steering-bar journaled'in thecentral frame, and a lever secured to the steering-bar and provided witha slot for engaging with the said pin R and operating the steeringwheel,substantially as set forth.

WALTER PHILLIPS.

Witnesses Rom. ED. PHILLIPS, EDWARD (l-Hainuonn;

